It was a bit wet and miserable when I awoke in the cottage my host’s backyard. My plan for the day was to ride to a camping ground near Devizes.
It took quite some time to back up. I suspect the weather had something to do with that.
As the morning wore on, the rain changed to a light drizzle and it was time to leave.
My hosts were keen to record my departure with ‘a photo or ten’ as a reminder that it does happen.
That was the end on another great stay.
Down to Bath
I took a direct route to Bath. This is not the best way to ride a bicycle, but was still drizzling and I wanted to get there as quickly as I could.
I stopped briefly in Bath, to buy a lense cover for my new camera and early lunch at a Boston Tea shop. This one of the few good ‘chain’ cafes in the UK.
As usual, Bath was full of tourists. I must be one of the most popular tourist cities in the UK.
On the Canal Again
The weather had cleared as I left Bath on Cycle Route 4. Not far from the city, I was back on the Kennet and Avon Canal.
This is very good part of the canal for cycling.
At one point the path crosses the Avoncliff viaduct. This is another of amazing engineering. The viaduct is 70 metres above the river below. Checkout the link below and the Flickr photos and videos
Quaint Pub
Not far from the viaduct, I stopped to have a beer in quaint little pub.
After a beer, I slowly rolled on towards Devizes. Part of the tow path were vey muddy. Memories of 2012 returned.
Caravan and Camping Club
I headed for a camping ground that is about 4 kilometres before Devizes. It is a great spot to stay.
Amazingly the woman on the reception “remembered [me] from last year”. She took my name and found all my details on their computer.
I pitched my tent and then headed back along the canal to the Barge Inn. I have mentioned this pub before. It has really good food.
A ‘Leave’ Supporter runs away at the sight of a UK Passport
As I ate I listened to people talking in the pub. The main topic of conversation was the ‘Brexit’ referendum. Everyone seemed to be a ‘Leave’ supporter.
I asked one woman “why she wanted to leave?”. She told that she had “asked her MEP (Member for the European Parliament) for a set of European Commission accounts and he could not provide them”. I asked her why she didn’t go to to the European Commission web site where she could find the Commission’s Annual Financial reports and Auditor’s opinions. She told me the I was “obviously not British”. I took out my British Passport. She walked off.
Some Time in Devizes
I had decided to stay some time in camping ground.
It is a bit of walk into Devizes along the canal and up the Caen Hill flight of locks. I have mentioned them before. They are amazing.
Devizes is one of those ‘mixed towns’. It is an old market town. There are some very old historic parts. It has the canal and an old Wadsworth brewery. There are some ‘upmarket’ shops and cafes. It also has some ‘welfare’ housing. There are some tacky shops – Poundland etc. .
The population reflects the above – some wealthy people – mostly retirees and poor people, many seemingly on welfare. There does seem to be many people in the ‘middle’.
I spent some time in the library. I was good to see that it is a good facility and popular.
The Brexit Vote
The UK vote on Thursdays. The 23rd of June was the big day for the Brexit referendum.
There didn’t seem to be too much activity in the town related to the vote.
In the evening I went to the Three Magpies pub. The polls closed at 10.00 p.m. The focus of the TV coverage was on Sunderland. It is the place in the UK that counts its votes quicker than anywhere else. When the pub closed, the consensus was that ‘Remain’ would win.
Awaking to a ‘Shock Result’
I awoke on Friday morning a bit seedy after having a couple, or three 6X beers watching start of the referendum count on Thursday night.
I turned on my smartphone. The UK had voted to leave the EU.
Time to Leave
I was heading to Salisbury. I packed up and rode along the canal into Devizes for a late breakfast.
After a long breakfast and some Skype chats, I continued on the Route 4 until I met the Route 45 heading south east towards Salisbury.
Flickr Link
Garmin Link
When their site works!!!!!
About the Canal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennet_and_Avon_Canal
About the Avoncliff Aqueduct
billrider2013 